...structure of the earlier series, setting the stories within the house. Opening it up and toddling all over the shop makes it the same as any other period drama.
You can 'elp me gather some Hollyhocks!
I agree! And I wish they brought more of the orginal show and stories back, too. I mean, things that connected to the orignal people or events. Not all the time, but just something! I was hoping Rose would help do that, but even her story seemed tossed aside after the first episode. She was the best of that episode, too, and the most profound, emotionally, because of her history.
"He's the very pineapple of politeness"
Definitely. I'd also like the upstairs and downstairs stories to have relevance to one another. I'm working my way through the original series (first time!), and realized that the element missing from Heidi Thomas's reboot is how the Bellamy story lines intersected with the staff's story lines. Everything that happened abovestairs affected the lives of those belowstairs, and vice versa, whereas in the reboot, everyone seems to bump against one another by mere happenstance.
http://edwardianpromenade.com
I rather like how the changing society is reflected in the storyline this week though.
shareThe way the new show is shot on location so much is the major problem with the show. I talk about this in another thread. But I think just because it's easier to film off-site now, doesn't mean that it should be done. I think the restrictions they were under before lead to more interesting scenes and better acting.
It calls to mind the scene between Hudson and Mrs. Bridges when they were watching the victory parade after WWI (Georgina marched in the parade and James stood on one of the grandstands). Of course the production couldn't stage a full parade or get believable clips of such a parade. So the two characters went up to the Drawing Room balcony with a spyglass and "acted" like they were watching a fine parade. Hudson would look through the glass and call out the names of the famous people he recognized. Then he'd hand it off to Mrs. B to look. The two actors had looks on their faces like they were seeing the most grand site in all the world. And the scene between them was very intimate - just the two of them enjoying this memorable moment. The music and the sounds of the crowd really sold it that they were watching a parade. But no one would ever stage a scene that simply today. They'd be accused of being cheap and we'd lose out on the benefit of such a loving acting moment.